The invention relates to a regenerative oxygen trap.
The necessity of being able to use certain gases having all traces of oxygen removed during chemical reactions has led to the manufacture of numerous traps of either the regenerating or non-regenerating type which are made mostly from metals or metal oxides selected subject to their chemical affinity for oxygen. However, the operation of this apparatus has many disadvantages which result partly from the reaction techniques brought into play or which are inherent in the chemical properties of the elements under consideration.
Metals currently in use include firstly titanium and zirconium which constitute excellent traps on account of their great affinity for oxygen, but which, when used in their original state, have the important disadvantage thay they rapidly lose their effectiveness. An oxide layer forms on the surface which hinders the fixation of oxygen without it being possible to detect easily the appearance of such superficial saturation.
Liquid magnesium is also a very effective oxygen trap, but has the disadvantage of introducing magnesium oxide into the purified gases.
Copper can also be used as a material for collecting oxygen. The traps which are provided with copper have the advantage of being regenerative through the action of hydrogen passing over the formed copper oxide. This system is not suitable for all applications as traces of hydrogen are still occluded in the copper after regeneration. These traces of hydrogen are subsequently found in the form of water vapour in the gas which is to be purified.
The object of the invention is to overcome the various aforementioned disadvantages and provide an oxygen trap whose effectiveness is ensured by a reaction for the rapid elimination of oxygen, the rate of which is substantially constant throughout the entire operation of the trap and can be easily controlled.